Ball catapulting device



Nov. 10, 1959 CARSQN 2,911,758

I BALL CATAPULTING DEVICE Filed June 26, 1957 INVENTOR. FRANKLl/V D.C/MJ 01V United States Patent BALL CATAPULTING DEVICE y Franklin D.Carson, Concord, Calif. I

' Application June 26, 1957, Serial No. 668,078

2 Claims. c1. 46-145) This invention relates to a device to catapult aball toward a target.

. More specifically this invention relates to a device useful in asimulated basketball game in which the device is formed to resemble ahuman figure having arms that throw a ball towards a basketball targetor basket.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a device shaped toresemble a human figure in which the arms of the figure are arranged toswing in a vertical plane in such a manner that a ball placed on theends of the arm will be thrown outwardly from the figure.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for selectivelylimiting the arm movements in more than one position so that the ballwill be directed forward of the device when the arms are arranged tostop in one position and the ball will be arranged to travel over thedevice in the opposite direction when the arms are arranged to stop inanother position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel mechanismto control the movement of the arms of the device incorporating a stopto adjustably set the arms for either a forward or overhead toss of theball.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device with a portion cut away toshow the inner structure thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the device of Fig. 1 shownin an alternate condition of operation.

In Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a principal embodiment of the inventionformed to simulate a human figure indicated generally at A.

The figure or figurine A is mounted on a base plate 15 so that thefigure stands upright thereon.

Figurine A comprises two legs 17, a torso portion 18 and a head portion19. Torso portion 18 is hollow as at 20 to provide an area to house amechanism 21 for actuating arms 24 pivotally mounted adjacent twoshoulders 25 of torso portion 18. Arms 24 are mounted to swing on avertical plane by a shaft 27 pivotally carried by torso portion 18, onwhich the two arms are journaled. Shaft 27 is formed to provide a crank28 disposed within hollowedout area 20 of torso portion 18 by which theshaft may be rotated to cause movement of the arms. Arms 24 are urgedupwardly by a rubber band 29. Rubber band 29 is connected to a pin 30 onthe bottom portion of hollowed-out area 20 and crank 28 so that force ofthe rubber band is disposed to pull the crank downwardly.

The limit of movement of shaft 27 is controlled by engagement of crank28 with the forward face 31 of figurine A so that arms 24 cannot berotated beyond a predetermined upward position. Downward rotation ofarms 24 against the bias of rubber band 29 is restricted only byengagement of the arms with legs 17. Arms 24 may be stopped fromupwardly movement in an intermediate position by interposing 'a block 35between face 31 and crank 28 so as to stop shaft 27 from moving the armsupwardly when the crank engages the block.

Block 35 is mounted on a pin 36 reciprocally mounted I in a verticalhole 37 and having an actuating handle 40.

Block 35 may be alternately either raised by lifting handle 40 whereatthe block is positioned to allow the crank to lie against face 31, orhandle 40 may be pressed downwardly to interpose the block between thecrank and face 31. v

The back of figurine A is covered by a cover plate 45 by which theworking parts ofthe device are concealed;

The tips of arms 24 are formed with a pocket 47 which is formed incomplementary contour to a ball 48. Pocket 47 is arranged to hold theball within the confines of the pocket as the arm is moved downwardly.Upon release of the arm the ball is carried upwardly until the movementof the arm is stopped by the action of crank 28 either against face 31or block 35.

When arms 24 stop, the ball is catapulted outwardly. Block 35 isarranged to stop arm 24 at a point whereat the ball will be projectedupwardly and forwardly of Figure A. When block 35 is removed so thatcrank 28 is allowed to travel to face 31, arms 24 are arranged to travelfurther upwardly to a point whereat the ball is arranged to travelupwardly and rearwardly and thus travel over the head of the figure.

In operation figurine A is used in combination with a basketball targetgenerally indicated at B. The target comprises a backboard 50 which ismounted to a vertical surface by mounting members such as suction cups53. Backboard 50 is arranged to support a simulated basketball basket 55with a hoop 56 and with a basket portion 57. The figurine may be used ina game to catapult the ball toward basket 55. The object of the game isto sink the ball in the basket.

Figurine A may be arranged to face the basket wherein the device can beused to toss ball 48 forwardly toward basket 55. Handle 40 is thenplaced in the downward position to set arms 24 to throw ball 48forwardly toward basket 55. Ball 48 is then placed in pocket 47 and arms24 are pulled manually downwardly and released whereby the ball iscatapulated upwardly in a direction generally toward basket 55.

As a variation of the game figurine A may be turned around so as to facedirectly away from basket or target 55 whereat the device can be used tomake an overhead toss of the ball toward basket 55. To cause an overheadtoss of the ball block 35 is moved upwardly via control handle 40 to setarms 24 to stop in a position to allow the ball to travel over the headof the figurine in a direction generally towards the basket. The deviceis thus enabled to make both a forward and overhead toss of the ball.

It is obvious that other embodiments of the invention could be employed.For example in the preferred embodiment, rubber band 29 is used toactuate crank 28. It is believed obvious that other resilient means suchas a spring could be employed for this purpose.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, it is understood that certain changes and modificationsmay be practiced within the spirit of the invention as limited only bythe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for tossing a ball toward a target comprising: a body shapedto generally resemble a human form; arms pivotally mounted on said bodyfor movement in a vertical plane; the ends of said arms formed toprovide a pocket adapted to hold a ball; an axle pivotally carried by,said body; said arms fixed to said axle; a crank Patented Nov. 10, 1959'saidbody and positioned; and arranged. to be. interposed between saidfirst abutment and said crank to engage said crank to stop upwardmovement of said arms beyond a second position below said firstposition; and means to move said' second abutmentfrom the positionbetween said first] abutment and said crank to render said secondabutment inoperative.

2.- A device for tossing aball toward a target comprising: a body shapedto generally resemble a human form and having a hollow interior; armspivotally mounted on said body for movement in a vertical plane; an axlepivotally carried by said body; said arms fixed to said axle; ag clrankconnected to said axle, and disposed within the hollow portion of saidbody; resilient means to urge said crank downwardly to biassaid armsupwardly; first stop means including an abutment within the hollowportion of said body positioned and arranged to stop said crank frommoving beyond a first position; a second stop means within the hollowportion of said body; said second stop means being slidably movable toan operative position interposed between said first stop means and saidcrank to stop said crank from moving said arms beyond a second positionbelow said first position and to an inoperative position displaced fromthe position between said crank and said first stop means to allow saidcrank to engage said first stop means; means slidably mounted on saidbody to move said second stop'means to the operative and inoperativepositions and the ends of said arms formed to provide a pocket to hold aball whereby a ball held in said pocket is tossed forwardly from saidpocket when said arms are moved upwardly to the second position andrearwardly when said arms are moved to the first position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 201,433,335 Bensch Oct. 24, 1922 1,675,453 Forry July 3, 1928 1,903,254Bishop Mar. 28, 1933

